1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to stretchable webs and more particularly to a stretchable web for use in garments that are manufactured with materials of relatively low elasticity. The invention also relates to laminates including the stretchable webs, where the laminates have relatively low elasticity.
2. Description of Related Art
Stretchable Webs are useful in disposable and non-disposable garments for increasing comfort and fit of the garments. Such stretchable webs are used in armbands, waistbands and other panels of a garment. Stretchable webs may also be used throughout a garment to make the overall garment have a more comfortable drape.
Stretchable webs that typically are employed in disposable and non-disposable garments include elastic materials. A major drawback of elastic materials is the cost of manufacturing such materials. Therefore, it is desirable to have a stretchable web that is manufactured of lower cost materials that can perform as required for various applications. Another disadvantage of elastic materials is that elastic materials typically stretch in all directions, thus requiring extra care during processing.
Netting materials are known in the art that provide some elasticity, but are known to have poor retractive qualities. In other words, netting materials are known to extend easily when a biasing force is placed in a particular direction, but the retractive force is not sufficient to meet many applications where elastic materials are used. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a netting material created of inelastic materials that have sufficient forces to replace more expensive elastic materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,063, to Curro et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a three-dimensional apertured elastic web having elongated apertures. The web is stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the major axis of the elongated apertures. While affording good stretching characteristics, this three-dimensional web has poor recovery.
Other drawbacks of the three-dimensional web of the '063 patent include reduced stretchability properties due in part to the aspect ratio of the apertures (length of the major axis to the minor axis) being within the range of from about 1.5 to about 5. Moreover, because these 3-dimensional webs have polygonal shaped cells that can stretch in various directions, they require extra care during processing. Additionally, this three-dimensional web does not provide sufficient recovery after stretching in a given direction. Thus, the three-dimensional web would be of little use in closely fitting disposable garments such as diapers that require good stretchability as well as good recovery so that the garment fits closely without slipping.
The description herein of certain disadvantages associated with known materials, webs, methods, and apparatus is not intended to limit the invention to embodiments that do not include the known items. Indeed, various aspects of the invention may include one or more of the known materials, webs, methods, and apparatus without suffering from the disadvantages described herein.